Soccer
by Akirafanatic
Summary: Nokoru and Kaichou move on to high school, leaving Akira alone for his last year. He is sad about it, but after joining the soccer team, he cheers up, makes new friends, and has many good times.


The bell for the end of school rang and I sighed. I know I should be happy since it was the start of a new school year, and since it was my last year of middle school, but I couldn't bring myself to be as happy as I normally was since Kaichou and Takamura-Senpai were both in high school now.

"Are you alright Ijyuin-kun?" I turned and smiled at the person who spoke.

It was Natori Hayate. "I'm fine Natori-kun." I said with a smile. Natori was the captain of the soccer team, and though we could be counted as friends, we weren't all that close. I could tell that he didn't believe me for a second.

"You don't seem as cheerful as usual." He told me, "And you've been sighing more than normal."

"Is it that obvious?" I asked.

"To most people, no. To an observant person like me whose known you since elementary school, yes." I laughed and he smiled. We started walking out of the classroom and he asked, "Now come on, what's up?"

I sighed and said, "Kaichou and Takamura-Senpai." I didn't have to say anything else, since he already seemed to understand what was bugging me.

"Well, that's easy enough to fix." He said with a smile. "All we need is something to take your mind off them." He thought for a bit before he said, "I know! Come with me."

I didn't have a chance to protest as he grabbed my arm and dragged me away. I smiled and decided to go along with it. "Natori-kun, what are we doing here?" I asked as we stopped at the soccer fields.

"Isn't is obvious?" He asked as he started juggling a soccer ball that was left next to the fields. "We're going to play a little one on one."

"But I'm not-"

"Don't tell me you're not good at it." He said, looking at me. "I know you're better than most people. You may not be good enough to beat me, but you're not a beginner."

I sighed and said, "Natori-kun, I haven't played in years."

"So? I bet you still remember how to." He kicked the ball hard towards me and I automatically caught it on my chest before I started juggling it myself. I didn't really mean to do it, it was just a reflex, but one look at Natori and I could tell he wouldn't let me leave before he got a game out of me.

"Fine." I said, knowing that if I didn't play he'd never leave me alone, "But just one quick game."

He smiled in victory and said, "That's all I wanted." I followed him over to the changing room and he asked, "Do you have anything to change into?" I shook my head and he frowned a bit before he said, "Alright then, you can borrow my spare practice uniform. It may be a little big, but it should work."

"Why do you have a spare set of practice clothes when tryouts for soccer don't start until next week?" I asked suspiciously.

He smiled widely and said, "Because I was hoping to get some practice in and figured if I found an opponent they wouldn't have a pair to change into."

"You're very prepared." I said as we changed, "It's almost like you were planning this."

"Maybe I was." I couldn't help but smile and laugh at that. When we were finished changing, we went out to the middle of the field and Natori set the soccer ball in the middle of us.

"Alright," He said, putting gone foot on the ball, "The first one to five goals wins. Neither of us is allowed to use our hands even as we defend our goal."

"Sounds easy enough." I said. Looking at Natori's smirk, I knew he wasn't going to make it easy on me.

"Ready!" He yelled, and I bent my knees a bit, ready to run if needed, "START!" He rolled the ball back towards him and lifted it onto his foot before he kicked it up a little and then hit it over my head.

I spun and ran as fast as I could down the field and towards the ball. Natori was right behind me when I got to the ball. I put my foot onto the ball and copied what he'd done; only I hit it behind both of us before I ducked under his arm and ran towards that ball.

"Not bad Ijyuin-kun!" He called out as we ran for the ball. I got to it first, but he blocked me before I could shoot it. "You should think about joining the soccer team."He told me as I tried to get around him.

"Was that your real motive for asking me to this game?" I asked.

"That's for me to know and you to find out." He said with a smirk. I let out a small laugh as I took the ball and spun around him, shooting for the goal. It bounced off the goal post and went in.

"One point for me." I said as I turned and smiled at him.

I saw the fire in his eyes as he smiled and said, "This game is just getting started."

I knew a challenge when I saw one, and I smiled, eager to take it. Neither of us noticed the crowd growing and cheering us on as we were locked in our battle, neither willing to give up a point.

It took us nearly an hour for the score to reach four to four, and we were both panting by then. This was the most intense game of one on one soccer I'd ever played, but it was really fun. I could tell that Natori was having fun as well, since he was smiling widely.

"I admit defeat." He said one I scored the last point. It was close, and if he had been one second faster, he could have blocked it. We both sat on the bench next to the field, panting.

"Thank you." I said, smiling at him.

"For what?"

"For asking me to play. It was the most fun I've had in a while." He looked at me for a few seconds before he started laughing.

"Ijyuin-kun, would you at least consider joining the soccer team?" he asked after he'd stopped laughing. "We could use someone like you. I bet you'd make a great center fielder. Or you could be a goalie."

"And have balls kicked in my face?" I asked, mocking horror, "No thank you."

"Well, if you had fun now, you'd have a blast playing as center fielder." He told me. "It's a lot of running, and it's one of the toughest positions, but I'm sure you'd be great." I was about to answer when he said, "I'd also take your mind off of Imonoyama-Kaichou and Takamura-Senpai."

"I'd have to leave practice a bit early when I have to teach the cooking classes. Not to mention all the work I still have to do as treasurer. There's also homework and cooking for my mothers and more." I said. "How would I fit practice into that?"

"I'm sure something could be worked out." He said. "I am the captain after all."

I blinked before I started laughing. "Alright." I said, smiling at him, "I'll try it."

"Great! You still have to try out though."

I looked at him in disbelief before I said, "Wasn't that good enough for a tryout?"

"Yes, and if the coach had been here you would be on the team, but since the coach isn't here, you have to come and try out next week." I sighed but couldn't help from smiling.

"Alright. I'll come to tryouts next week."

"Actually, you don't have to." Natori and I turned and found Yabe-Sensei behind us. He was the soccer teams coach for each division.

"Yabe-Sensei!" Natori said, "When did you get here?"

"About halfway through your game." He said with a smile. He turned to me and said, "I think you'd be a great addition to the soccer team. Hayate-kun was right for asking you to join."

I smiled. "Thank you."

"Actually, I think you'd make a better captain than him." I saw the teasing look in Yabe-Sensei's eyes and smiled.

"Hey! I've been on the soccer team since elementary school! He's just now joining this year! I think I'm more qualified!" Natori shouted, clearly outraged Yabe-Sensei would even suggest something like that.

"I was kidding Hayate-kun." He said, "How about you be the vice-captain then?"

"Eh?" I blinked at him, confused.

"All regular members on the soccer team except Hayate-kun graduated. I would pick a second year to be the captain, but I doubt any of them would be very good at it." He explained. "Anyway, I'll talk to the chairperson about what you can do about your position as treasurer. Do you think it might work if you did your duties in the morning and came to practice in the afternoon?"

"I'm sure that might work." I said. "I wouldn't get as much practice time as the others though."

"Well, we can always fix that. I can give you a training schedule for you to follow after school and the weekends and you can practice either by yourself or with Hayate-kun."

"Yeah, I'll help you." Natori said with a smile.

"Alright then." I said. "I think this actually might work."

"Glad to hear it." Yabe-Sensei said, "And glad to have you on the team Akira-kun." I smiled and nodded, not in the least bit sad anymore about Kaichou and Takamura-Senpai.

**/Authors note/**

**PLEASE READ AND REVIEW! It ACTUALLY helps! It lets me know if I should change anything!**

**anyway, I don't own anything from CLAMP, and the characters will be out of character! I'm not sure if Nokoru or Suoh will show up very much, but I'm not sure at the moment. Please let me know what you thought about it!**


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